Ball cart



y 16, 1967 E. F. FELSTEHAUSEN 3,319,797

BALL CART Filed May 10, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet l 3:0; e a a a 00 1Z0 1 F1 k 124 v if Z0 y 16, 1957 E. F. FELSTEHAUSEN 3,319,797

BALL CART Filed May 10, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 111111511! I II y 15, 1967 E. F. FELSTEHAUSEN 3,319,797

BALL CART Filed May 10, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 United States Patent 3,319,797 BALL CART Eugene F. Felstehauseu, Hoopeston, Ill., assignor to Brunswick Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed May 10, 1965, Ser. No. 454,290 15 Claims. (Cl. 21115) This application discloses and claims an embodiment of an invention claimed more broadly in Stevens application Ser. No. 454,291, filed May 10, 1965.

This invention relates in general to gravity feeding apparatus, and more particularly to a new and improved device for automatically feeding bowling balls to and from a bowling ball cleaning machine.

Various types of bowling ball cleaning machines are well known to those skilled in the art, and generally are designed for customer use wherein a single ball is inserted in the machine for cleaning thereof. Such machines have not been advantageous for use by a bowling alley proprietor, when he desired to clean the large number of house balls usually found in a bowling establishment. More particularly, it will be readily appreciated that it is a laborious and time consuming task to manually place and remove house balls one at a time into the cleaning machine. To obviate this problem, it has been proposed in the past to fixedly associate bulky and unsightly ball conveyor means with a ball cleaning machine, so that a bowling alley proprietor can clean a plurality of house balls without giving individual attention to each of the balls. This solution has been unsatisfactory in that the cleaning machine equipped with integral conveyor means has occupied an unduly large amount of space, and has rendered the cleaning machine unacceptable for general use by customers. Accordingly, the general purpose of the present invention is to provide a bowling ball feeding device which automatically feeds bowling balls one at a time to a cleaning machine, and which obviates the problerns noted above in connection with cleaning machines having conveyor means integral therewith.

An object of the invention is to provide a bowling ball feeding device having novel means for feeding balls one at a time into a ball cleaning machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a ball feeding device as described above which will feed balls into a cleaning machine at a controlled slow rate of speed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mobile ball cart for feeding balls one at a time to a cleaning machine, which is compact and easy to move, and which has a relatively large ball carrying capacitv.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a device for feeding balls one at a time into a cleaning machine which will function satisfactorily with a minimum number of parts.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a bowling ball feeding device as described above with ball stop members at opposite sides of a supply track for normally retaining balls on the supply track, and a latch release member below the supply track and centrally thereof and positioned to be engaged by a ball moving onto the storage track.

These and other objects of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description taken in connection with the annexed drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a preferred embodiment of the ball cart in association with a ball cleaning machine;

FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the ball cart illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged front elevational view of the discharge end of the supply track;

3,319,797 Patented May 16, 1967 FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken generally along line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4, but on a reduced scale, and showing a ball moving onto the supply track and tripping the latch release member;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5, and showing a released ball beginning to roll onto a guide track; and

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIGS. 5 and 6, and showing the guide track lowering the released ball onto the door mechanism of the cleaning machine.

While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail one specific embodiment, with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiment illustrated. The scope of the invention will be pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring now to FIG. 1, the ball cart 10 is shown in association with a bowling ball cleaning machine 12 of the type disclosed in Torresen application Ser. No. 441,551, filed Mar. 22, 1965, and including a door 14 having a track 16 formed in the innerface thereof. The door 14 is movable from a position closing an opening 18 in the front of the cleaning machine 12, to a first open position shown in FIG. 1 for discharging a polished ball onto the ball cart. The door is then movable to a second open position shown at 14a in FIG. 7, for receiving a dirty ball from the ball cart 10. As is described in the above-rnentioned Torresen application, the door 14 then moves to a position closing the opening T8 in the cleaning machine 12, and presenting the dirty ball to a suitable ball polishing device.

The ball cart 10 includes an upper or ball supply track 20, and a lower or ball storage track 22 vertically therebelow. The tracks 20 and 22 are supported on a frame structure including a front upright 24 and a rear upright 26. Transverse front and rear wheel supports 28 and 30 are provided at the lower end of uprights 24 and 26, respectively, and a pair of front wheels 32 is castered on support 28 by brackets 34, while a pair of rear wheels 36 are rotatable about a fixed axle 38 on the support 30. Means are provided for retaining the cart 10 in fixed association with the cleaning machine 12, and includes a brake stand 40 pivotally mounted adjacent the rear of the cart and movable against the bias of springs 42 to a position under the wheels 38.

As can be best seen in FIG. 2, each of tracks 20 and 22 .is generally U-shaped in plan view, and track 20 includes a pair of spaced legs 44 and 46 connected by an arcuate portion 48 at the rear of the cart, while track 22 includes a pair of spaced legs 50 and 52 connected by an arcuate portion 54 at the rear of the cart. As can be seen in FIG. 3, wherein the upper track 20 is illustrated, each of the tracks is generally channel-shaped (inverted) in cross section, and includes a concave central portion 56, and generally flattened portions 58 at the sides of central portion 56. The leg 44 of track 20 is inclined downwardly and rearwardly from a high end 60 at the front of the cart to an intermediate elevation at the connecting portion 48, and the leg 46 is inclined forwardly and downwardly from connecting portion 48 to a discharge portion 62 at the front of the cart. The leg 52 of track 22 vertically below leg 46 is inclined downwardly and rearwardly from a high end 64 at the front of the cart to an intermediate elevation at the connecting portion 54,

and the leg 50 vertically below leg 44 is inclined forwardly and downwardly from connecting portion 54 to a low end 66 at the front of the cart. An enlarged portion 68 extends transversely across track portion 66 to provide a stop means for positively retaining balls on the lower track 22. Additionally, as can be clearly seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the connecting portions 48 and 54 are vertically elevated above the track legs to positively guide balls as they roll around the connecting portions of the track.

The means for discharging balls one at a time from the upper supply track 20 will be best understood from a consideration of FIGS. 3-7. Support means are provided for the ball discharging means, and include a pair of L-shaped support brackets 70 and 72 mounted on opposite sides of the discharge end of upper track portion 46 by screws 73. As can be best seen in FIG. 3, brackets 70 and 72 include respective inwardly directed flanges 74 and 78 at the lower end thereof.

Ball stop means are provided for normally retaining balls on the supply track 20, and include a pair of ball stop members 80 and 82 at opposite sides of the track, and carrying rollers 84 and 86, respectively, at the upper ends thereof. Rollers 84 and 86 are spaced by a distance slightly less than the diameter of a bowling ball, so as to positively retain balls on the upper track when the rollers are located in the position shown in FIG. 3. The ball stop members 80 and 82 each include a first portion which extends from above to below the supply track through suitable slots 58a therein. As can be best seen in FIG. 4, the ball stop members are generally L-shaped, and include second portions 88 and 90 extending rearwardly from the discharge end 62 of the track 20. A first transverse shaft 94 connects the ball stop portions 88 and 90 adjacent the rearward end thereof, and pivotally mounts the same in the support brackets 70 and 72.

A second transverse shaft 96 also connects the rearward ends of ball stop portions 88 and 90 below the shaft 94. Means are provided for biasing the ball stop members into the ball arresting position shown in FIG. 4, and includes a spring 98 having one end 980 hooked over shaft 96, and a second end 98b hooked over a downwardly extending pin 100 carried by a transverse brace member 102 secured to brackets 70 and 72.

Means are provided for positively retaining the ball stop members 80 and 82 in the ball arresting position, and include an abutment in the form of a shaft 104 extending transversely between ball stop portions 88 and 90 forwardly of shafts 94 and 96. The means for retaining the ball stop members 80 and 82 in the ball arresting position further includes a pivoted latch member 106 having an arcuate latch surface 108 at the upper end thereof engageable with the shaft 104 to positively retain the ball stop members in the ball arresting position. A transverse bolt 112 pivotally mounts latch member 106 between the downwardly extending portions 108a and 110a of support members 108 and 110, that are secured to the underside of the track 20. A roller 114 is rotatably mounted on a shaft 116 at the lower end of the latch member 106, and extends downwardly into the inlet to the lower track 22 in position for engagement by a ball moving onto the lower track, as is shown in FIG. 5. Latch member 106 is biased toward latching engagement with shaft 104 by a spring 118 that is connected between shaft 116 and the arcuate portion 56 of the supply track.

Thus, as a ball rolls off of the door 14 onto the lower track 22, latch member 106 will be pivoted to a position such as that shown in FIG. 5, to free the ball stop members 80 and 82 for movement out of the ball arresting position by a ball rolling down the discharge end 62 of the supply track. Once the ball rolling onto the storage track 22 has moved out of engagement with the roller 114, the spring 118 will return the latch member 106 into position for engagement with the shaft 104, as is shown in FIG. 6. When the ball rolling off the discharge end 62 of the supply track moves out of engagement with the rollers 84 and 86, the spring 98 will return the ball stop members 80 and 82 into the ball arresting position, and the shaft 104 will snap into engagement with the latching surface 108 on latch member 106. Spring 98 is sufiiciently weak so that the weight of a ball rolling down the discharge end 62 of the supply track will pivot the ball stop member from the ball arresting position of FIG. 4 to the ball passing position as shown in FIG. 6. However, spring 98 is sufficiently strong so that the ball stop members and 82 will be returned quickly to the ball arresting position after the ball rolling off of the discharge end of the supply track has moved out of engagement with rollers 84 and 86 to reengage latch 106 and prevent more than one ball from rolling off of the supply track 20 at a time. Since the rollers 84 and 86 engage the ball adjacent the major diameter thereof, spring 98 will return the ball stop members 80 and 82 to the ball arresting position quickly, and a separate detent means (other than the ball stop members) is not necessary to prevent more than one ball from being released from the supply track at a time.

Means are provided for guiding discharged balls onto the ball cleaner door 14 at a controlled rate of speed, and include a guide track member 120. As can be best seen in FIGS. 5-7, guide track member 120 is somewhat L-shaped in side elevation. As can also be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, guide track 120 is formed from a single length of tubelike or rodlike material, and includes generally parallel side portions 122 and 124 which extend outwardly from the discharge end of the supply track 20. Guide track portions 122 and 124 are spaced apart a distance slightly less than the diameter of a bowling ball throughout their length, and a loop 126 connecting the outer ends of track portions 122 and 124 is slightly larger in diameter than a bowling ball. The innermost ends 122a and 124a are bent upwardly from track portions 122 and 124, and are normally positioned to receive a ball from the discharge end of the ball supply track, as can be best seen in FIGS. 4 and 5. Guide track 120 has support plates 128 and 130 secured to the side portions 122 and 124 thereof, and guide plates 128 and 130 are pivotally mounted on the brackets 70 and 72, respectively, at 132 and 134. Means are provided for biasing the guide track 120 into the ball receiving position shown in FIGS. 4-6; and include a spring 136 having a first end 136a connected between a spring anchor in the form of a stud 138 extending outwardly from plate 128, and a second end 136b connected to a spring anchor in the form of a stud 140 on the bracket 70.

Means are provided for cushioning the guide track 120 as it moves from the ball receiving position of FIG. 4 to the ball discharging position of FIG. 6, and includes a pair of bumper members 142 and 144 formed of suitable elastomeric material and mounted on the respective flanges 76 and 78 of brackets 70 and 72. The bumpers 142 and 144 are held against brackets 70 and 72, respectively, by respective clamp plates 146 and 148 on the inner surface of bumper members, and which are retained thereagainst by screws and nuts 150. As can be seen in FIG. 4, the bumper members 142 and 144 have arcuate forward faces 142a and 144a that are engaged by the curved sections of guide track portions 122 and 124, respectively, when the guide track 120 moves into the ball discharging position of FIG. 7. The upper portion of the bumpers 142 and 144 serve to properly locate the guide track 120 in the ball receiving position.

Thus, after the first ball on the supply track 20 has rolled off of the discharge end 62 of the supply track 20, it will roll onto the portions 122a and 124a of the guide track 120 and begin to roll therealong. As the discharged ball rolls slowly along the guide track portions 122 and 124, the guide track 120 will pivot about pivot 132 against the bias of spring 136 to lower the ball toward the cleaning machine door 14. The guide track 120 lowers the ball toward the door 14 at a controlled rate of speed, and when the ball reaches the loop portion 126 of the guide track 120, the ball will pass outwardly therethrough onto the door 14, and the door will then shift the ball into the interior of the cleaning machine for polishing thereof.

As is explained in detail in the above-mentioned Torresen application, when the cleaning of a ball is completed, the door 14 will open to the position shown in FIG. 1 to discharge the polished ball from the cleaning machine 12 to the ball cart 10. The movement of the polished ball onto the storage track 22 will release another dirty ball for movement from the supply track 20 to the door 14, and this process will be repeated until all of the dirty balls on the supply track 20 have been polished and transferred to the storage track 22. Thus, it should be readily apparent that the ball cart disclosed herein provides a device for automatically feeding bowling balls into a cleaning machine which fulfills each of the objects of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a ball cart for automatically feeding balls one at a time into a polishing machine, the combination of, an inclined supply track adapted to receive unpolished balls thereon and having a ball discharge end, an oppositely inclined storage track for receiving polished balls, a ball stop member pivotally mounted on said supply track adjacent said discharge end, means normally latching said ball stop member in a ball arresting position, means for releasing said latch means in response to a polished ball rolling onto said storage track whereupon the ball or balls on said supply track pivots said ball stop member out of said ball arresting position, and means for returning said ball stop member to said ball arresting position after one ball has rolled ofi of said supply track while a succeeding ball rolls toward the stop member and before the succeeding ball reaches the stop member so that balls are fed one at a time into said polishing ma chine.

2. A ball cart as defined in claim 1 wherein means are provided for reengaging said latch means before the succeeding ball reaches the stop member.

3. In a ball cart for automatically feeding balls one at a time into a polishing machine, the combination of, an inclined supply track adapted to receive unpolished balls thereon and having a ball discharge end, an oppositely inclined storage track for receiving polished balls, a pair of ball stop members each pivotally mounted on said supply track adjacent said discharge end at one side of the path of balls thereon, means normally latching said ball stop members in a ball arresting position, means for releasing said latch means in response to a polished ball rolling onto said storage track whereupon the ball or balls on said supply track pivots said ball stop members out of said ball arresting position, and means for returning said ball stop members to said ball arresting position after one ball has rolled ofif of said supply track while a succeeding ball rolls toward the stop member and before the ball reaches the stop member.

4. A ball cart as defined in claim 3 wherein said ball stop members are spaced from one another by a distance less than the diameter of the ball.

5. In a ball cart for automatically feeding balls one ata time into a polishing machine, the combination of: an inclined supply track adapted to receive unpolished balls thereon and having a ball discharge end; an oppositely inclined storage track for receiving polished balls; a ball stop member pivotally mounted on said supply track adjacent said discharge end; means normally latching said ball stop member in a ball arresting position; means for releasing said latch means in response to a polished ball rolling onto said storage track whereupon the ball or balls on said supply track pivot said ball stop member out of said ball arresting position; means for returning said ball stop member to said ball arresting position after one ball has rolled off of said supply track while a succeeding ball rolls toward the stop member and before the ball reaches the stop member; and a guide track mounted on said supply track adjacent said discharge end for pivotal movement between a ball accepting position for receiving a ball after it rolls off of said supply track and a ball releasing position for discharging a ball into said polishing machine, said guide track having a narrow portion adapted to support a ball as it rolls therealong to pivot said guide track, and a widened ball release end for feeding the ball into said polishing machine.

6. A ball cart as defined in claim 5 wherein said narrow track portion has a width less than the diameter of said ball, and said widened guide track portion has a width greater than the diameter of said ball.

7. A ball cart as defined in claim 6 wherein the wide portion of said track is formed by a loop connecting the narrow portion thereof.

8. A ball cart as defined in claim 5 wherein said widened guide track portion is disposed generally transversely of said narrow guide track portion.

9. A ball cart as defined in claim 5 wherein bumper means is provided on the discharge end of said supply track for locating said guide track in said ball accepting and said ball releasing positions.

10. A ball cart as defined in claim 8 wherein said bumper means is resilient to cushion said guide track as it moves into said ball releasing position.

11. A ball release mechanism for feeding balls one at a time from the discharge end of a supply track in response to a ball moving onto the inlet end of a storage track, comprising: support means adapted to be mounted adjacent the discharge end of said supply track; a ball stop member having a first portion normally positioned above said supply track in a ball arresting position adjacent the discharge end of said supply track, and a second portion positioned below said supply track and extending rearwardly from the discharge end thereof; means pivotally mounting the second portion of the ball stop memher on said support means rearwardly of said discharge end; first spring means biasing said ball stop member toward said ball arresting position, said spring means being sufliciently weak so that the weight of a ball rolling down said supply track will pivot said ball stop member from said ball arresting position to a ball passing position; an abutment on said ball stop member; a latch member pivotally mounted on said support means and having a latching surface engageable with said abutment to retain said ball stop member in said ball arresting position, said latch member further having an engageable portion positioned adjacent the inlet end of said supply track so that a ball rolling onto said storage track will pivot said latch member out of engagement with said abutment and free said ball stop member for movement to ball passing position; and second spring means biasing said latch member toward a position of engagement with said abutment to latch said ball stop member in ball arresting position before a succeeding ball on said supply track reaches said ball stop member.

12. A ball release mechanism for feeding balls one at a time from the discharge end of a supply track in response to a ball moving onto the inlet end of a storage track, comprising: support means adapted to be mounted adjacent the discharge end of said supply track; a pair of ball stop members at opposite ends of the discharge end of said supply track, each having a first portion normally positioned above said supply track in a ball arresting position adjacent the discharge end of said supply track, and a second portion positioned below said supply track and extending rearwardly from the discharge end thereof, said ball stop members being spaced by a distance slightly less than the diameter of a ball; means pivot-ally mounting the second portion of each ball stop member on said support means rearwardly of said discharge end; first spring means biasing said ball stop members toward said ball arresting position, said spring means being sufficiently weak so that the weight of a ball rolling down said supply track will pivot said ball stop members from said ball arresting position to a ball passing position; an abutment on said ball stop member; a latch member pivotally mounted on said support means generally centrally of said track and having a latching surface engageable with said abutment to retain said ball stop member in said ball arresting position, said latch member further having an engageable portion positioned adjacent the inlet end of said supply track so that a ball rolling onto said storage track will pivot said latch member out of engagement with said abutment and free said ball stop member for movement to ball passing position; and second spring means biasing said latch member toward a position of engagement with said abutment to latch said ball stop member in ball arresting position before a succeeding ball on said supply track reaches said ball stop member.

13. A ball release mechanism as defined in claim 12 wherein said ball stop members are generally L-shaped, wit-h the second portion thereof being disposed at generally right angles with respect to the first portion thereof.

14. A ball release mechanism for feeding balls one at a time from the discharge end of a supply track in -response to a ball moving onto the inlet end of a storage track, comprising: support means adapted to be mounted adjacent the discharge end of said supply track; a pair of ball stop members at opposite sides of the discharge end of said supply track, each having a first portion normally positioned above said supply track in a ball arresting position adjacent the discharge end of said supply track, and a second portion positioned below said supply track and extending rearwardly from the discharge end thereof; a first shaft extending transversely between the second portions of the ball stop members and pivotally mounting the same on said support means rearwardly of said discharge end; first spring means biasing said ball stop members toward said ball arresting position, said spring means being sufiiciently weak so that the weight of a ball rolling down said supply track will pivot said ball stop members from said ball arresting position to a ball passing position; a second shaft extending transversely between said ball stop members and defining an abutment; a latch member pivotally mounted on said support means and having a latching surface eng-ageable with said abutment to retain said ball stop member in said ball arresting position, said latch member further having an engageable portion positioned adjacent the inlet end of said supply track so that a ball rolling onto said storage track will pivot said latch member out of engagement with said abutment and free said ball stop member for movement to ball passing position; and second spring means biasing said latch member toward a position of engagement with said abutment to latch said ball stop member in ball arresting position before a succeeding ball on said supply track reaches said ball stop member.

15. A ball release mechanism as defined in claim 14 wherein a third shaft extends transversely between said ball stop members, and said first spring is connected to said third shaft.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,484,615 2/1924 Adl-and 296-24 1,530,288 3/1925 Balkema 221301 2,329,963 9/1943 Whittle 27B-37 3,157,299 11/1964 Ingham 2l444 CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

I. F. FOSS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A BALL CART FOR AUTOMATICALLY FEEDING BALLS ONE AT A TIME INTO A POLISHING MACHINE, THE COMBINATION OF, AN INCLINED SUPPLY TRACK ADAPTED TO RECEIVE UNPOLISHED BALLS THEREON AND HAVING A BALL DISCHARGE END, AN OPPOSITELY INCLINED STORAGE TRACK FOR RECEIVING POLISHED BALLS, A BALL STOP MEMBER PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPLY TRACK ADJACENT SAID DISCHARGE END, MEANS NORMALLY LATCHING SAID BALL STOP MEMBER IN A BALL ARRESTING POSITION, MEANS FOR RELEASING SAID LATCH MEANS IN RESPONSE TO A POLISHED BALL ROLLING ONTO SAID STORAGE TRACK WHEREUPON THE BALL OR BALLS ON SAID SUPPLY TRACK PIVOTS SAID BALL STOP MEMBER OUT OF SAID BALL ARRESTING POSITION, AND MEANS FOR RETURNING SAID BALL STOP MEMBER TO SAID BALL ARRESTING POSITION AFTER ONE BALL HAS ROLLED OFF OF SAID SUPPLY TRACK WHILE A SUCCEEDING BALL ROLLS TOWARD THE STOP MEMBER AND BEFORE THE SUCCEEDING BALL REACHES THE STOP MEMBER SO THAT BALLS ARE FED ONE AT A TIME INTO SAID POLISHING MACHINE. 